A classic villain pose. To show that he has defeated the hero, the villain lifts him over his head.

As a pose, this has lots of benefits: It's visually compelling, it shows off the villain's [[SuperStrength strength]], and it's a shocking way for the villain to brag about beating the hero, showcasing the hero's vulnerability. Think of it as shadow-PietaPlagiarism -- instead of a loved one gently cradling a fallen hero, an enemy is holding his conquest up for the world to see. The followup action is usually to drop or throw him back to earth, perhaps with some force. Ouch.

This is also the standard position for preparing to toss a guy off something, which is done by both heroes and villains.

A step above the NeckLift in terms of villainous posturing, and a sister trope to TouchOfTheMonster (though usually with slightly less innuendo. Usually. Compare LoadBearingHero and people lifting other things over their heads as a show of SuperStrength.

----!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:{{Anime}}]]* Makoto/Lita, right before she learns she's Sailor Jupiter on ''Anime/SailorMoon''.** And again in a flashback in "People Who Need People".* Deathmask Cancer does this to Dragon Shiryu in ''Manga/SaintSeiya''; for extra points, he's doing it one-handed (palm in the small of Shiryu's back. Then he makes the mistake of telekinetically dumping [[BerserkButton Shiryu's love interest Shunrei off a cliff]], at which point Shiryu finds his [[SuperMode true power]] and proceeds to [[CurbstompBattle kick]] Deathmask's [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome ASS.]]* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' - "Hero" might be a stretch, but Super Android 13 does this to Vegeta, complete with knee-slam. In an inversion, Android 16 does this to Imperfect Cell before slamming him into the ground so hard he disappears. Not content with that, 16 follows up with a double ArmCannon blast.[[/folder]]

[[folder:ComicBooks]]* Franchise/{{Batman}} villain Bane does this a ''lot'', but never more strikingly than in the "ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}" storyline, when he hoists Batman over his head and slams him down on his knee, ''breaking Batman's back.'' In fact, it happens twice in the same story, the second time in the picture above having Bane throw Batman's broken body to the ground in view of Gotham.* Before Bane did it, Doomsday does this to Franchise/{{Superman}} in the final part of ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', holding the bloodied body of Superman over his head, an OhCrap look on the Man of Steel's face.* These examples are all from [[http://www.superdickery.com Superdickery]].** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/dick/216_4_237.jpg World's Finest #237]] Superman -> Batman.** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/dick/3386_4_000008.jpg Superman (John Byrne) #8]] Superman -> Blok, from the Legion of Super Heroes, a ShoutOut to another cover from the same artist which depicted Gladiator hoisting a deafeated Marvel hero over his head.** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/dick/216_4_180.jpg World's Finest #180]] Superman -> Batman, again.** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/dick/129640932cb.jpg Lois Lane, Superman's Girl Friend #93]] Strictly speaking Wonder Woman (in civies) is ''tossing'' Lois Lane, but still.** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/monkeys/1458_4_039.jpg Rawhide Kid #39]]. A giant ape -> Rawhide Kid.* In ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'', ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' does this to [[spoiler:a living Kryptonian suit]] before hurling it into the Sun.* In ''ComicBook/TheTransformers'' generation 1 comic, Megatron did this to Optimus ( the autobots lost that one due to critical fuel shortage).* ''Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk'' [[http://www.comics.org/issue/24429/cover/4/?style=default #142]]: Valkyrie holds the Hulk over her head.-->Every '''Male Chauvinist Pig''' in the world will '''Tremble'''...when he sees the '''Hulk''' hurled to his '''Death''' - by a '''Woman!'''* When the ''ComicBook/SuicideSquad'' end up on Apokolips, Amanda Waller finds herself staring down Granny Goodness. It's IronLady vs EvilMatriarch, with just one problem - as hardcore as Waller is, [[http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1015312.html she's still mortal]].-->'''Granny:''' Tell me, little worm, do they regard you as someone strong, someone nasty, in your own world? This is not your world. This is where darkness, where cruelty and power, are all born. You aren't "nasty", little worm, you're only human. We are ''Gods''. We don't aspire to cruelty, we ''are'' cruelty! ''(SLAM)''* Inverted in ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comics. In "Spectacular Spider-man" #193 Spidey beats up the Puma badly, and then hoists him above his head. The scene made [[http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080612161750/marveldatabase/images/5/5a/The_Spectacular_Spider-Man_Vol_1_193.jpg the cover]] of the issue.* In ''Creator/DetectiveComics'' #659, during the "ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}" arc, Batman goes after the Ventriloquist, only to be jumped by Amygdala, with his ''BerserkButton'' pushed by seeing his "friends" being "harassed", who does a very serious looking [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/7/73500/1538400-b_1995_08_40.jpg variation]] of the move * In the cover for ''ComicBook/MsMarvel'' [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9620fcd57e13e7b8ffc952f02eab4941.jpg vol. 2 #44]], Moonstone holds our titular heroine chained up over her head while the rest of ComicBook/DarkAvengers observe.[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]* Gunnar does this to Yang in ''Film/TheExpendables'', in an attempt to impale him.* Done in the prison movie ''Film/BruteForce'' (1947) during the climactic prison riot.* Hero/villain reversed: Darth Vader does this to the Emperor in the climax of ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' (shot from a different angle).* A {{mook}} does this to Jay in ''Film/MenInBlackII''.* ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' reinterprets the above image as largely unchanged, Bane smashing Batman's back upon his knee.* In a reversal of roles, Thor does this to Loki in ''Film/TheAvengers2012''.* In ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'', Lord Vaako does this to The Guv, slamming his back onto his knee and killing him.* In ''Film/RockyIII'', during their "fight", Thunderlips gorilla presses Rocky above his head, struts around the ring, delivers a {{Badass Boast}}, and then chucks the Italian Stallion over the top rope and into the crowd.* In ''Film/KickAss2'', Hit Girl tries to jump over Mother Russia, only for the Russian to catch and lift her before slamming her through a glass table. * Heroic version in Disney's ''Disney/{{Tarzan}}'' where Tarzan lifts the corpse of his slain foe, the leopard Sabor, above his head and gives his famous SignatureRoar for the first time.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature]]* In the first [[Creator/SimonRGreen Hawk & Fisher]] novel, legendary warrior Adam Stalker holds a ''werewolf'' over his head in this fashion, as this is the only way he can safely restrain the snarling, clawing monster long enough for others to fetch a silver weapon.[[/folder]]

[[folder: LiveActionTV]]* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', "Legion", [[spoiler:[[FanNickname Chloiac]]]] does this to Clark.** In "Static", Aldar does this to several people, including Clark.* Inverted on ''Series/{{Angel}}''. The title character finishes off a demon sent after his son this way. For context, this is after a season and a half's worth of trauma led to Angel having Connor's memories changed so he could have a normal life.-->'''Connor:''' Oh my god!\\'''Angel:''' Connor, listen to me -\\'''Connor:''' You almost broke that guy in half! ''(Beat)'' That was AWESOME! ''(Act break)'' Seriously, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen!\\'''Angel:''' Well, it's...it's not a big deal. I mean, I do stuff like that a lot.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology/Religion]]* Heracles (also known as Hercules) defeats one of his opponents with this move. The giant Antaeus challenges everyone he meets to a wrestling match, kills them, and collects their skulls. He seems to be unbeatable because he's infinitely strong, but Heracles figures out his secret: Antaeus is only strong as long as he is in contact with the earth. When Heracles lifts him overhead, he becomes as weak as any ordinary man, and is easily defeated by a crushing bear hug.[[/folder]]

[[folder:ProfessionalWrestling]]* The Gorilla/Military Press. For bonus points, bend at the elbows for a few reps, just to show how badass you are/how helpless they are. Followed by either a drop(on their face!) or transitioning to some other move. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeq5sPm4xQs Like here]](26s mark). Sometimes done to one's own partner, shortly before throwing their mass onto several opponents at once.* If you feel the need to re-enact the act of breaking the Bat, the over-the-knee Backbreaker is as close as you can get...** Go To Sleep is another way.** Come to think of it, almost any variation of the Backbreaker requires you to do this.[[/folder]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]* This is one of [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader's]] grapple moves in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur IV''* Nu, Lambda and Mu's throws and Tager's [[OneHitKill Astral Heat]] in the ''VideoGame/{{BlazBlue}}'' series.* A heroic variant comes in one of Sub-Zero's fatalities in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse''. He grabs the opponent and holds them over his head, freezes them, and [[LiterallyShatteredLives smashes them to pieces]].* Bane, being one of ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'''s [[GameOverMan Game Over Men]], naturally [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eErycnlnj0Q breaks Batman's back]] if you die in his boss fight, [[DontExplainTheJoke as a tribute to]] ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}. At the end of his boss battle, he attempts to break Batman's back, only for a remote-controlled Batmobile to ram him.** He does it again in cut-scenes in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'' as well. The first time he does it, he throws Batman out the window. When he does it during the second fight, he does bring Batman down over his knee. It doesn't break his back, but it does effectively end the fight for a while. He can also do it during the fights themselves, those these can be countered. If you fail to counter, he'll naturally bring you down on his knee. While damaging, it isn't necessarily fatal. * In ''OneMustFall2097'', this is Jaguar's "Scrap move" (part one of the FinishingMove), complete with dropping the enemy robot on the ground. The "Destruction move" (part two) is continued from that position, as Jaguar leaps into the air and smashes the opponent into the ground so hard that it explodes into pieces.[[/folder]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'':** Bane recreates the Knightfall scene in his debut, but before he can actually break Batman's back, Batman stabs a crushed Batarang into his Venom feed, overloading his system with the drug. ** Killer Croc demonstrates his near-superhuman strength by lifting Batman over his head before throwing him into the drink.** Ras al Ghul, temporarily insane after being revived by the Lazarus Pit, lifts his own daughter Talia over his head and attempts to throw her into the Lazarus Pit, which is toxic to healthy people. Batman snares Ras with a Batline and yanks them back before he can throw her.* The Mutant Leader does this to Batman before dumping him on a pile of junk during their junkyard fight in the first part of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' animated movie.* {{ComicBook/Darkseid}} does this to Superman in the last episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''. He then brings Supes's back down on his knee, Batman-and-Bane style; it doesn't ''break'' his back, but it hurts like hell. --> "Super or otherwise, you're merely a man. [[AGodAmI And I...am a God.]]"** The last episode of WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries had an inversion where Superman did this to Darkseid while standing on top of a ruined building, then tossed Darkseid to the ground below.** Inverted in WesternAnimation/SupermanUnbound. Sups does this to Brainac, before throwing him inside a chasm onboard the Brainiac's spaceship.* Ragnar does this to his [[CainAndAbel sister]] Iolande in ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries''* In the ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'' episode "Trial of Evil", Mumm-Ra does this to Lion-O and then throws him across the room.* In the ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'' episode "The J-Team", Finn, armed with the Ox Talisman which gives its holder SuperStrength, does this to Jackie and then throws him across the room. Finn then tries it on El Toro Fuerte, which hilariously backfires:-->'''Finn''': (''lifts El Toro'') Who's "strong like ox" ''now'', El Toro!?-->'''Viper''': Not you, skinny! (''snatches away the Ox Talisman'')-->'''Finn''': No! (''crushed under El Toro's weight'')* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' had [[AxCrazy Galvatron]] do this to [[ArchNemesis Ultra Magnus]] in the Season 3 episode, ''Webworld''* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' "Mad Dogs and Aliens", Warmonga does this to Shego (who ''used'' to be a hero).[[/folder]]

[[folder:RealLife]]* This trope is said to have been inverted and ultimately averted by singer Paul Robeson. During tryouts for a college football game, one of the other players yelled a racial epithet at Robeson, to which he responded by lifting him in the air and preparing to break his back against his knee, but was interrupted by the coach yelling "Paul Robeson has made the team!"[[/folder]]----